Made The Phantom Menace seem like Star Wars; bloated and self indulgent, the first half causes terrible - almost irreperable -damage to the second half; amybody can argue this whatever way they want, there is not enough original source material to generate three films of three hours; only the die hard devotees will like this.....................

Firstly the film itself, I enjoyed it, but not without some reservations. There were some pacing issues for me, the first hour in particular could do with a trim, aside from that though I was quite suprised at how little Freeman had to do in the overall scheme of the film, he really doesn't do or say much until the last half hour or so. The other big problem I had was that it's remarkably similar in overall structure to Fellowship of the Ring also, which only serves to highlight it's shortcoming in comparison.

As for the 48fps, hit and miss with me. I'll freely admit, for the first 10-15 minutes or so, I was pretty appalled by what I saw, the film resembles those god-awful "motion-plus" picture modes most modern TV's come with these days, fucking awful. It really comes into it's own in the final hour or so though, with the extra framerate really allowing you to take in some of the detail in those large swooping shots during the big action scenes, it also helps immeasurably with motion in 3D. Special mention has to go to the eagle flight at the end, gorgeous stuff. So like I said, hit and miss, great during the action sequences, not particularly great elsewhere however.

*SPOILERS* The Hobbit : An Unexpected Journey (Peter Jackson, 2012) – There and back there again. After braving the intensity of a first-night screening (lovely audience; I do enjoy nerds), we went back for more of the same on Sunday. The 48fps still looks odd – if a little less so second time around – and Freeman and Gollum are still awesome. But my thoughts don't stop there. No. I had several more.

The Hobbit is a tonally uneven movie, the almost inevitable result of squeezing a children's book – lighter, less doom-laden and more knockabout – into the LotR template, but I'm not sure that's necessarily a problem, and I don't think the criticisms about overlength or padding ring true. People say that not much happens, but our heroes fight trolls, then goblins, and then orcs, almost get crushed to death by rock giants, and watch as an apparently ineffectual little bookworm becomes a stout and noble warrior. If that happened to me in the space of 166 minutes, I'd consider it quite an eventful couple of hours.

I barely touched on the dwarfs in my first review, largely because I wrote it in 10 minutes on my lunch break. On second viewing, I was able to distinguish a little better between them, and I do think that Jackson and his writers have done a reasonable – if flawed – job of sketching out these characters. Bombur's only real contribution is to break a chair by being fat, but Vengeful Dwarf, Old Dwarf, James Nesbitt Dwarf, Chiselled-Yet-Playful Dwarf and Right Up His Jacksy! Dwarf are all given moments to shine, or, in the latter case, look like a ginger Nicholas Lyndhurst shouting rubbish. The tearjerking pay-off between Vengeful Dwarf (Richard Armitage) and Bilbo is an obvious highpoint - I enjoyed Armitage's forthright performance throughout - but James Nesbitt Dwarf's exchange with the apparently departing hobbit is to be treasured just as much, and Old Dwarf's tale of woe ("... for their dead were beyond the count of grief") is very affecting.

The sequences in which the dwarfs pile into battle are also rousing, accompanied by a soaring motif from Howard Shore's triumphant score. The best of the action spectaculars is the encounter with the goblins, particularly the climax, in which second unit director Serkis and his crew have the baddies battered and throttled with a ladder – which is subsequently used to sprint over a crevasse – and then chase a runaway boulder (perhaps it was them behind Indy that time), which skittles their adversaries. I'm not sure that the hideously unattractive goblin king, or the cockney, mucus-filled trolls are the stuff of movie legend, but they're fairly entertaining, while harking back to Jackson's early horror movie Bad Taste (which I still think is dreadful). In fact, Jackson's first forays into film are an obvious touchstone here. There are a few cock-eyed camera angles (including one woozy, swooping shot in the dinner sequence at Bag End) that are more readily associated with ultra low-budget genre flicks than Hollywood blockbusters.

McKellen is excellent reprising his role as Gandalf: I particularly enjoyed his mischievousness - especially the sheepish look he gives Galadriel when she rumbles him (not a euphemism) - his line about Bilbo, and the interplay between wizard and hobbit. Freeman's performance as Bilbo is really lovely. I think most people nodded sagely when he was cast, and that confidence has been vindicated. He's equally good at being a bossy Baggins, a fish-out-of-water or an unexpected hero, and does some impressively childlike gawping when asked to hang, terrified, from a rockface. The only off-notes are a couple of minor technical errors in the way he has been forced to acclimatise to green screen work: firstly when he's looking a good foot away from Gandalf's head, and secondly when he's pointing a sword vaguely near Gollum.

The extraordinary Riddles in the Dark sequence is probably the best thing I've seen in a cinema this year. I was in absolute hysterics, again, at Gollum's delivery. His agitated yelp of "Give us a chance, precious! Give us a chance!" is almost indecently funny, though of course there's terror and menace circling under the surface. It all takes place in a dark, dank cave, lit only by Bilbo's lightsaber (that's what it was, right?), but exists on a higher plane than everything that surrounds it.

For while The Hobbit is an admirable, entertaining and often funny film (the goblin stenographer deserves a quick mention), packed with stunning landscapes, ailing hedgehogs and rabbit sledges (thanks, elab), and lit by moments of considerable emotional catharsis, it's also a bit lumpy – and more than a touch erratic. The defiler looks like the action figure of Mum-Ra I had as a kid, the rock giants set-piece feels flat, uninteresting and unbelievable (it's the one instance where the HFR really takes you out of the action, as the integration of CGI and live-action is so transparently false) and a recourse to snot-based humour is rarely to be found in truly great films.

I thought Leonard Maltin's assertion that The Hobbit was "incredibly boring" was so far wide-of-the-mark that he'd been trying to make it with a green screen, but I'll admit that there are a few dips in interest. (Still, these shortcomings seem to have more to do with slack screenwriting than spinning out the story: Jackson has always struck me as someone whose passion is for movies, not money, so who cares why the studio green-lit a trilogy?)

It's that messiness, and those periodic dry spells, that detract from the film rather more than the collision between grown-up chatter and broader fare, like one of the film's greatest gambles, the broadly comedic introduction of Sylvester McCoy as that "foolish fellow", Radagast the Brown. It's a rare movie indeed that can house both an eloquently-scripted set-piece set at a diplomatic think-tank, and a frenetic attempt – by a wizard covered in bird poo – to resuscitate a hedgehog, but both work well, in themselves and as a part of the larger piece.

Many critics seemed to be competing to see who could appear the most discerning by being the most critical (credit to the Guardian's Peter Bradshaw, who can be guilty of one-starring everything in sight, for his measured review), but I think they got this one badly wrong. It's not perfect, by any stretch – and not nearly so unexpected second time around – but it's largely enjoyable, with a trio of superb performances and a handful of truly special moments.

I don't understand why he's called the Neck Romancer, though. He didn't romance anyone's neck during the whole movie. (3/4)

*SPOILERS* The Hobbit : An Unexpected Journey (Peter Jackson, 2012) – There and back there again. After braving the intensity of a first-night screening (lovely audience; I do enjoy nerds), we went back for more of the same on Sunday. The 48fps still looks odd – if a little less so second time around – and Freeman and Gollum are still awesome. But my thoughts don't stop there. No. I had several more.

The Hobbit is a tonally uneven movie, the almost inevitable result of squeezing a children's book – lighter, less doom-laden and more knockabout – into the LotR template, but I'm not sure that's necessarily a problem, and I don't think the criticisms about overlength or padding ring true. People say that not much happens, but our heroes fight trolls, then goblins, and then orcs, almost get crushed to death by rock giants, and watch as an apparently ineffectual little bookworm becomes a stout and noble warrior. If that happened to me in the space of 166 minutes, I'd consider it quite an eventful couple of hours.

I barely touched on the dwarfs in my first review, largely because I wrote it in 10 minutes on my lunch break. On second viewing, I was able to distinguish a little better between them, and I do think that Jackson and his writers have done a reasonable – if flawed – job of sketching out these characters. Bombur's only real contribution is to break a chair by being fat, but Vengeful Dwarf, Old Dwarf, James Nesbitt Dwarf, Chiselled-Yet-Playful Dwarf and Right Up His Jacksy! Dwarf are all given moments to shine, or, in the latter case, look like a ginger Nicholas Lyndhurst shouting rubbish. The tearjerking pay-off between Vengeful Dwarf (Richard Armitage) and Bilbo is an obvious highpoint - I enjoyed Armitage's forthright performance throughout - but James Nesbitt Dwarf's exchange with the apparently departing hobbit is to be treasured just as much, and Old Dwarf's tale of woe ("... for their dead were beyond the count of grief") is very affecting.

The sequences in which the dwarfs pile into battle are also rousing, accompanied by a soaring motif from Howard Shore's triumphant score. The best of the action spectaculars is the encounter with the goblins, particularly the climax, in which second unit director Serkis and his crew have the baddies battered and throttled with a ladder – which is subsequently used to sprint over a crevasse – and then chase a runaway boulder (perhaps it was them behind Indy that time), which skittles their adversaries. I'm not sure that the hideously unattractive goblin king, or the cockney, mucus-filled trolls are the stuff of movie legend, but they're fairly entertaining, while harking back to Jackson's early horror movie Bad Taste (which I still think is dreadful). In fact, Jackson's first forays into film are an obvious touchstone here. There are a few cock-eyed camera angles (including one woozy, swooping shot in the dinner sequence at Bag End) that are more readily associated with ultra low-budget genre flicks than Hollywood blockbusters.

McKellen is excellent reprising his role as Gandalf: I particularly enjoyed his mischievousness - especially the sheepish look he gives Galadriel when she rumbles him (not a euphemism) - his line about Bilbo, and the interplay between wizard and hobbit. Freeman's performance as Bilbo is really lovely. I think most people nodded sagely when he was cast, and that confidence has been vindicated. He's equally good at being a bossy Baggins, a fish-out-of-water or an unexpected hero, and does some impressively childlike gawping when asked to hang, terrified, from a rockface. The only off-notes are a couple of minor technical errors in the way he has been forced to acclimatise to green screen work: firstly when he's looking a good foot away from Gandalf's head, and secondly when he's pointing a sword vaguely near Gollum.

The extraordinary Riddles in the Dark sequence is probably the best thing I've seen in a cinema this year. I was in absolute hysterics, again, at Gollum's delivery. His agitated yelp of "Give us a chance, precious! Give us a chance!" is almost indecently funny, though of course there's terror and menace circling under the surface. It all takes place in a dark, dank cave, lit only by Bilbo's lightsaber (that's what it was, right?), but exists on a higher plane than everything that surrounds it.

For while The Hobbit is an admirable, entertaining and often funny film (the goblin stenographer deserves a quick mention), packed with stunning landscapes, ailing hedgehogs and rabbit sledges (thanks, elab), and lit by moments of considerable emotional catharsis, it's also a bit lumpy – and more than a touch erratic. The defiler looks like the action figure of Mum-Ra I had as a kid, the rock giants set-piece feels flat, uninteresting and unbelievable (it's the one instance where the HFR really takes you out of the action, as the integration of CGI and live-action is so transparently false) and a recourse to snot-based humour is rarely to be found in truly great films.

I thought Leonard Maltin's assertion that The Hobbit was "incredibly boring" was so far wide-of-the-mark that he'd been trying to make it with a green screen, but I'll admit that there are a few dips in interest. (Still, these shortcomings seem to have more to do with slack screenwriting than spinning out the story: Jackson has always struck me as someone whose passion is for movies, not money, so who cares why the studio green-lit a trilogy?)

It's that messiness, and those periodic dry spells, that detract from the film rather more than the collision between grown-up chatter and broader fare, like one of the film's greatest gambles, the broadly comedic introduction of Sylvester McCoy as that "foolish fellow", Radagast the Brown. It's a rare movie indeed that can house both an eloquently-scripted set-piece set at a diplomatic think-tank, and a frenetic attempt – by a wizard covered in bird poo – to resuscitate a hedgehog, but both work well, in themselves and as a part of the larger piece.

Many critics seemed to be competing to see who could appear the most discerning by being the most critical (credit to the Guardian's Peter Bradshaw, who can be guilty of one-starring everything in sight, for his measured review), but I think they got this one badly wrong. It's not perfect, by any stretch – and not nearly so unexpected second time around – but it's largely enjoyable, with a trio of superb performances and a handful of truly special moments.

I don't understand why he's called the Neck Romancer, though. He didn't romance anyone's neck during the whole movie. (3/4)

Best review I've read for this movie. Dunno if that's just because it's the one I most agree with or not.

Once again Empire builds up a film massively and then loses the bottle when it comes to a review. This is not a four star movie. The weaknesses are too great and too depressing to list. But the first and foremost issue was the diabolical visual effects. The chief bad ork looks worse than the terrible vampire things that ruined I am Legend. Jackson turning his back on so many of the things that made LOTR great (location, sets, physical effects) is one of the great tragedies of modern cinema. The Goblin Town looked like a computer game, and there was no sense of peril or danger, it was intensely silly and so easy. Compare that to the escape from the mines of moria, which was terrifying and terrifically realised.

There were many very very good things about the film, but the cheap looking effects (don't get me started on the Wargs!) will consign this with The Bourne Legacy, Prometheus and The Dark Knight Rises into the pile of Great 2012 disappointments. I couldn't wait for it to end, a feeling I've never had with any Lord of the Rings film before.

Not quite up to the standard of the original trilogy, but equally it doesn't come close to matching the crushing disappointment of other attempts to relive the glory days (Indy 4, Star Wars Prequels). Really liked Martin Freeman in the main role and Richard Armitage was pretty good as well.

I watched this in 3D on Saturday, I wasn't blown away by the 3D but I am not really a fan of it generally, I personally would say save your pennies and watch it in 2d. On the film it was great to be back in the world of Middle Earth (i've missed it). I loved the begining particularly as it links into the start of fellowship. I felt it moved quick, with a bit of character building in the start as expected and then pretty much as soon as they leave the shire it is action all the way bar a brief stop at rivendell, but even then we are reunited with some LOTR characters and shown a little of the beginning of the rise of Sauron. Great action and the way they put all the different heights together in one room works brilliantly. Good to have a bad guy you can see although I am not 100% sure on if he looks right or not, definetly looks a bit vampire ish, from say underworld or I am legend but he is a even dude. All the casting seems great and the humour is fantastic, I saw an interview with jackson saying because it is a lighter book the humour can work into the film and it does. LOTR is dark and once complete it will be nice to see a lighter feel and look to a world oblivious to the darkness that is on it's way. The effects are still as good and great to have Gollum back in it, be interesting to see if he appears in the the other two movies. Overall loved it and great to have a return to Christmases at the cinema visiting middle earth. 4.5/5

When I was a young kid, my father used to read The Hobbit to me and my siblings - so I was very interested in this film. Now being a fan of the book and the books/films of LotR I had high hopes, and they were not dashed one iota. I really, really enjoyed this film (but that's not surprising ). Just to mention now I watched this 24 fps 3D.

Many people have stated that the film is too long and the first hour plods along at an extremely slow pace. Are people forgetting The Fellowship? That took a long while too, but it was all to establish the characters and likewise with The Hobbit which has a tad more to introduce. But maybe I had a one up on this, as I knew the story/characters to begin with. However, I will agree that only a handful of the Dwarves got any decent screen-time but that does mirror the book (in-a-way)

The casting was spot on. The acting chemistry between Freeman/Armitage/McKellen was bloody brilliant and I loved it. You can easily understand why Jackson delayed filming/re-arranged sets just so they could get Freeman.

The music was beautiful (loving the Dwarves theme), but I was a bit peeved when they used to Ringwraithes theme when Thorin and Azog were commencing to battle *tut tut*

Not keen on Radagast, Saruman was right - too many mushrooms, dude, addles the brain. The CGI in some places looked a bit creaky, but in others e.g. Gollum it was utterly superb.

A solid 4/5

EDIT: For my spelling

< Message edited by Ref -- 18/12/2012 11:04:02 AM >

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Viewers of a nervous disposition may be interested to know that your television is off and I am speaking to you from inside your head...

The music was beautiful (loving the Dwarves theme), but I was a bit peeved when they used to Ringwrathes theme when Thorin and Azog were commencing to battle *tut tut*

Have you listened to the soundtrack? Not got mine so far, but that piece of Wraith music is, apparently, not on the CD but Shore's original music is. It was a very odd choice and I can't really think why it was used.

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So, sir, we let him have it right up! And I have to report, sir, he did not like it, sir.

They didn't need to show him escaping. They showed the orcs stop chasing him once they realised where the dwarves were.

People also seem to forget that these aren't standalone movies. Just because someone's fate isn't shown in film one, doesn't mean it won't be shown in film two or three. Film one is just laying the groundwork for what's to come. That's how Lord Of The Rings worked, too. If Radagast isn't shown again at all in the next two movies, then it might be a problem, but I'm sure he'll show up at some point in at least one of them.

The music was beautiful (loving the Dwarves theme), but I was a bit peeved when they used to Ringwraithes theme when Thorin and Azog were commencing to battle *tut tut*

Have you listened to the soundtrack? Not got mine so far, but that piece of Wraith music is, apparently, not on the CD but Shore's original music is. It was a very odd choice and I can't really think why it was used.

I'll have a listen to it today, Gimli and I'll tell you the track name if you like. But as a massive music lover I know all the themes and using it then in The Hobbit was such an oddity.

_____________________________

Viewers of a nervous disposition may be interested to know that your television is off and I am speaking to you from inside your head...

Just to update you Gimli, I've been listening to the track where the theme should be, but it's not there. So I'm listening through them all to see if it pops up anywhere else. Very intriguing

I'm wondering if that little clip was cut out when it was to be 2 films, rather than 3, and so they quickly had to get some music to go. I would have much preferred the Dwarf music, and if Thorin could get a kick-arse theme that would be frigging brilliant.

_____________________________

Viewers of a nervous disposition may be interested to know that your television is off and I am speaking to you from inside your head...

Unapologetically similar in style and tone to its forebears, and I reckon most civilian viewers will like it in equal measure. Regardless of your feelings on stretching a children's book out to 9 hours, you've never seen Middle Earth look as bright, detailed and luscious.

Don't want to be "that" guy - but why didn't the eagles take them to the front gates of the city?

Quite apart from being faithful to the books, it's likely that Thorin needed medical attention (from Gandalf - does that qualify as medical?) as soon as they were out of danger's way.

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I ... hate this place; this zoo, this prison, this ... reality. Whatever you want to call it. I can't stand it any longer. It's the smell. If there is such a thing. I feel ... saturated by it. I can taste your stink.

Just to update you Gimli, I've been listening to the track where the theme should be, but it's not there. So I'm listening through them all to see if it pops up anywhere else. Very intriguing

I'm wondering if that little clip was cut out when it was to be 2 films, rather than 3, and so they quickly had to get some music to go. I would have much preferred the Dwarf music, and if Thorin could get a kick-arse theme that would be frigging brilliant.

It's all very odd. There were plenty of instances in LOTR when the music was changed from what Shore written so it seems like that's the case here. But someone obviously sat down and recorded a new piece of Nazgul music. I want to know why!

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So, sir, we let him have it right up! And I have to report, sir, he did not like it, sir.

Hence, at the start of The Hobbit: "These are not warriors. Miners... craftsmen... toymakers..."

In LotR Middle Earth is preparing for a war, hence more warriors (Boromir, Legolas, Aragorn) and less reliance on Gandalf.

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I ... hate this place; this zoo, this prison, this ... reality. Whatever you want to call it. I can't stand it any longer. It's the smell. If there is such a thing. I feel ... saturated by it. I can taste your stink.

Gandalf said a spell over him, he suddenly woke up and said, "The halfling?"

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I ... hate this place; this zoo, this prison, this ... reality. Whatever you want to call it. I can't stand it any longer. It's the smell. If there is such a thing. I feel ... saturated by it. I can taste your stink.

Thoroughly enjoyed this, there were definitely unnecessary moments of exposition and the cgi was not the best I've ever seen but I'm willing to forgive it because it's clearly lighter in tone making it more suitable for younger audiences.

Freeman was a fantastic Bilbo although I did miss "Bilbo Baggins, B-A-double-G-I-N-S"

ALSO, did any other rugby fans think that the White orc looked very like Paul O'Connell? Just me? Oh, well